Depression: Could sleep deprivation have an antidepressant effect?
Share on Pinterest Sleep deprivation may have an antidepressant effect on some people. Ibai Acevedo/Stocksy Sleep deprivation is generally known to have a negative impact on mood, but a new study has found a paradoxical effect. The research revealed that a single night of complete sleep deprivation led to increased connectivity between the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex in the brain, resulting in improved mood in certain individuals, including those with major depressive disorder. The findings suggest that understanding this brain connectivity could provide potential targets for interventions in depression treatment and shed light on the relationship between sleep and mood regulation. In a new study published in PNAS , researchers utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS fMRI) to map brain activity in specific regions, aiming to understand why certain individuals experience a positive mood enhancement after a period of sleep deprivation despite most ...